After our neighbour, who was rafted to us, had departed we also left the quay to make our way over to Ithaca island where we were due to meet up with Laerke again. The day started out well and we were able to motor to the head of the bay and drop our anchor in Marathia Bay to go for a swim and wait for the wind to blow up. This duly happened so we were able to leave the anchorage under sail without starting the engine. We set curse for Ithaca but were unlucky with the wind direction and had to hold a very close tack (something C’est la Vie does not like) in every strengthening winds. We rolled in the genoa and took 2 reefs on the main and battled through the stiffening sea to reach Kioni on Ithaca. As we were approaching we got a call from Laerke to tell us that the harbour was full of charter boats and there was no room. We then started to go South to find an anchorage for the night. We eventually anchored in Kaminia Cove but there the story did not end.
Just as we were finishing dinner on Laerke we saw the two boats approaching each other in such a way that Svein was able to hop on board ours. We were both drifting so we again weighed our anchors and started off to find another anchorage. We came into Pigadhi bay in the dark. When you are sailing in the dark you suddenly realise how few boats use anchor lights at night!!!! Again we were not very lucky but I managed to get back on board and we then started trying to anchor. After several attempts we eventually managed to get a line ashore so we were sure that we were safe for the rest of the night which by this time was getting very short!!!!!
We woke next morning to crystal clear water and lovely surroundings which made the hassle from the previous night worth the while. In the meantime Laeke had returned to Nidri to collect the spare part but when Svein went to install it – it was incomplete. A piece had been left behind so they weighed anchor and returned to Nidri again to collect it.